If you’ve gotta whip up something simple for a crowd on the fly, then get in on some of these simple cold skewer appetizers that let you literally make something out of nothing! So don’t even worry about it… Have your guys and gals over and put out a few cocktails too! We’ve got the rest covered with some quick and crazy easy appetizer ideas.

1. Parmesan Pickle Cheez-It Stack Skewer

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This quick snack on a stick is probably one of my favorites due to its delectably crunchy simplicity… It’s a super basic make ahead toothpick appetizer you can make with 3 ingredients. It’s literally a skewered stack of delicious cubed parmesan cheese, crunchy Cheez-It crackers, and sliced dill pickle. I like to think of it as a dressed-up version of crackers and cheese that got seriously vertical… I always use an aged balsamic parmesan for quick appetizers like this because they add so much pop to the flavor. Sartori’s Balsamic BellaVitano parmesan is by far my favorite.

2. Quick Pepperoni Bowtie Pasta Bite Skewer

These are literally the easiest thing to make! Small farfalle or bowtie pasta is nestled on a skewer between rolled up mini pepperoni slices! Pinches of fresh oregano herbs give it a little color. The great thing about cold pasta is you can drizzle it with your favorite dressing after assembling to add a little more pop of flavor. I used Hormel’s little mini pepperoni slices for this appetizer but you might choose to use a salami slices or even prosciutto! The pasta skewers always remind me of the more Italian-inspired antipasto skewers with mozzarella balls, pasta, meat, and olives.

3. Salad on a Stick Cold Skewer Appetizer

If you’re looking for fun and delicious salad on a stick ideas, if gotcha covered with these cool and crunchy green cucumber skewers! Crisp cucumber slices are layered up with bites of spicy pepper jack cheese. A little crunchy leafy green lettuce and some rolled up pepperoni plays out perfectly in these easy mini skewer appetizers. This idea has to be my favorite on the list because it’s so elegant and made up with just a handful of ingredients. This delicious appetizer will be a crowd favorite for sure!

4. Strawberry Watermelon fruit cold skewer appetizers

These little bites of fruity heaven are, once more, so insanely easy and sooo pretty! If you’re looking to mix up your appetizer lineup with a little color, this is the perfect way to incorporate something delicious and refreshing! Cubes of juicy ripe watermelon are stacked up with ripe summer strawberries. The berries are topped off with creamy gouda cheese and blueberries! Pair with these tasty watermelon smash cocktails, a watermelon spritzer cocktail, or even a watermelon strawberry frosé for a refreshing summer spread…

5. Spicy Sriracha Shrimp cold skewer appetizers

These fun little shrimp bites get a quick spicy kick from a dash of sriracha sauce. A hint of artisan lettuce skewered on behind the shrimp makes it taste like a little seafood lettuce wrap. A little cucumber slice in the center cools everything down. It’s so simple, but so good! A little crunch, a little spice, and who doesn’t love a shrimp on a stick appetizer? You could additionally give these cold shrimp appetizers a quick squeeze of lemon juice before drizzling with the spicy sriracha sauce for added brightness.

I feel like this makes such a refreshing summer appetizer but… Wouldn’t this also be great as an easy New Year’s cocktail party appetizer too? So colorful and vibrant with a fun presentation… Something your guests would love to dig into with a glass of good bubbly right before the countdown!

6. Red Grape Strawberry apple fruit skewers

These easy cold skewer appetizers are made with sliced red apples, fresh strawberries, and red grapes. They add a slightly sweet and crisp variety of snack to the table spread along with beautiful bold red color. To make these, simply stack sliced strawberries, sliced red grapes, and sliced red apple on a skewer and serve! Cheese also pairs really well with both apples and strawberries so feel free to add cubes of your favorite tasty cheese to this as well.

7. Spicy Antipasto cup appetizers

I know, these technically aren’t on a skewer, per se, but I just couldn’t finish this list of no-cook cold appetizers without some type of antipasto! In Italian, this basically means a small bite of something that is served before the meal. These easy antipasto cups fit the bill perfectly! A bit of spicy giardiniera is layered up with sweet pimento fire roasted red peppers (bottled red peppers), along with spicy smoky gouda cheese, thin sliced genoa salami, and thin pickle spears.

8. Pimento pepper and chipotle gouda cold skewer appetizer

Make this simple cold skewer appetizer idea in a cinch! A delicious bold spicy and smoky chipotle flavored gouda is stacked high on skewers with delicious sweet fire roasted red pimento peppers. The red pepper complements the smoky savory chipotle flavor in the cheese while adding texture and color to the appetizer. This is the same cheese I used above in the easy spicy antipasto cups! It’s Boar’s Head chipotle gouda cheese. If you can find it, it really does pair quite well with a number of ingredients and would even make a great addition to any simple charcuterie board.

All of these easy cold appetizer ideas were created with the same small skewers that I use in everything from cocktails to cold appetizers like these. They are skinny small wooden skewers that I have purchased multiple times for easy fun foods like these!

Use Nice Appetizers Skewers for a high end look!

I highly recommend these fun decorated wooden skewers as they are the perfect length for creating cold skewer appetizers that you can display upright or laying flat on your serving platter. They’ll show off your creations beautifully no matter how you choose to use them. They do come in a multicolor option, but I personally think the gold and silver have the most tasteful look when serving.

I hope you found a few fun ideas that you can get inspired to try for your special occasions! As you can see, all of these easy no cook appetizers and cold finger foods are pretty much made with simple, common items you probably have sitting right at home!

Try these for your next movie night with friends or serve them with other fun foods such as a simple sheet pan pizza, some brandied meatballs, a quick snack charcuterie board, or even a simple canned chicken salad you can spread with crackers and cheese!